Leviticus 10:1  Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, took their respective firepans, and after putting fire in them, placed incense on the fire and offered strange fire before the Lord, which He had not commanded them.

An old phenomenon is becoming popular again. It’s been rebranded for modern usage, but it really is not new. It’s the idea that we can have our own truth. Not surprisingly, it’s a very trendy idea. ‘My truth’ will always be more appealing.

After many chapters in Exodus and Leviticus of detailed instruction on how the Israelites were to worship God, the tabernacle was assembled, a big ceremony was held and their new religious life began. Things went along very smoothly for about one day! Then Nadab and Abihu came along and decided to improvise. They decided to live ‘their truth.’

God did not reward them for their creativity. He was very displeased and their punish-ment was immediate. This is a story that isn’t often told in Sunday School classes. You may never have heard it. We don’t really like it because it has a sad ending. But we also don’t like it because it makes us uncomfortable. We might even think that it makes God look harsh. “What’s the big deal?” we wonder. “Weren’t they trying to worship God?” But God cared about how things were done and He had told them so. They knew they were not acting according to His Word.

We might like to think that this is an obscure Old Testament story about the way things used to be and how God used to act. But I think that we would be wrong in that. In the New Testament Jesus said, “I am The Way, The Truth, and The Life. No one comes to The Father but by Me.” That’s pretty specific. It doesn’t leave a lot of wiggle room. It sounds really exclusive. It sounds like Jesus is saying that worshiping Him is the only true religion. This is exactly what He is saying.

“But I like to think that if a person does good things…” “But I like to think that I am spiritual…” “But I like to think that if a person is sincere, it doesn’t really matter what they believe.” “I’m living my truth.” This is dangerous ground. When God has been so specific about an issue, what we like to think about it should be limited to acceptance of what He has said.

Nadab and Abihu decided to live ‘their truth.’ It didn’t end well. But this ‘my truth’ idea was old even when they tried it! It got its start in the Garden of Eden when the serpent tempted Eve to adopt her own truth rather than God’s Word. That also didn’t end well.

We all have a choice - our truth, or The Truth! It’s important to make the right one!

 

Blessings,

Pastor Russ